Seared Chicken & Verjus Pan Sauce

with Mashed Potatoes, Mushrooms & Kale

Seared Chicken & Verjus Pan Sauce

with Mashed Potatoes, Mushrooms & Kale

Verjus, used in cooking since the Middle Ages, is a mellow, tart juice pressed from grapes that have been harvested while still young. Here, we’re using it in a delicious pan sauce for our seared chicken and sautéed vegetables. A dollop of mashed potatoes soaks up some of the sauce’s brightness, rounding out this rustic, comforting dinner with ease.

30 minutes

Ingredients

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
10 oz Red Potatoes
4 oz White Mushrooms
1 Kale
1 Thyme
3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Crème Fraîche
2 tbsp Verjus Blanc
1 tbsp Butter

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Large dice the potatoes. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Remove and discard the kale stems; roughly chop the leaves. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves.

Cook & mash the potatoes:

Add the potatoes to the pot of boiling water and cook 15 to 17 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add half the butter. Using a fork, mash the mixture to your desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

Coat & cook the chicken:

While the potatoes cook, place the flour on a plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. Thoroughly coat the seasoned chicken in the flour (tapping off any excess). In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan.

Brown the mushrooms:

While the potatoes continue to cook, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned and softened; season with salt and pepper.

Add the kale & make the sauce:

Add the kale, verjus, crème fraîche and ½ cup of water to the pan of mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and the sauce has reduced in volume by about half.

Finish & plate your dish:

Add the cooked chicken, remaining butter and all but a pinch of the thyme to the pan of vegetables and sauce; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mashed potatoes between 2 dishes. Top with the finished chicken, vegetables and sauce. Garnish with the remaining thyme. Enjoy!